Alfa Romeo

«Alfa Romeo» (Alfa Romeo S.p.A, an Italian industrial company specializing in the production of sports of high-end cars, and other vehicles. The headquarters is located in Milan.

The company history began in 1906 in the village of Portello near Milan society was established Societa Italiana Automobili Darracq, intending to collect French light vehicles «Darracq.» The head of the society stood Ugo Stella. Light vehicles in Italy was not popular and Stella decided to reorganize the only plant «Society» in the original production of Italian cars. For instance, in 1910 company appeared A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica di Automobili), i.e., «Lombard joint stock company for car production».

In 1910 Stella invited engineer J.. MAROSI, who previously worked in the Fiat, which created her first child - outdoor quintuple 24CV capacity of 42 HP It less powerful modification 12CV had a capacity of 22 PS These models and became the basis of pre-war production firm ALFA.

On the chassis base of the sports models did racing modifications: 12CV successfully took part in prestigious competitions, in Modena.

The first world war halted production, but in 1915 the company moves to Nicola Romeo, who after the war resumes production of cars based on a new 4-cylinder engine. Romeo gave the company its harmonious and easy-to-remember name.

A great success was the victory of Alfa P2 on the first world championship race cars (Motor Racing Championship) in 1925. It is in the 20-ies of the racing cars firms become famous worldwide.

Faced in the late 1920-ies with financial difficulties due to the collapse of several banks Italy, the company has found support abroad : in England, the United States, Spain.

In 1933, the company was nationalized, its management began a special Committee called the IRI (Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale) and elected from shareholders and employees of the company in the ratio 50 on 50. «Alfa Romeo» continues issue expensive and prestigious sports racing cars, but at the same time the company is entrusted with the production of military trucks and engines for aviation. The production of engines almost completely displaces the production of cars during the Second world war.

After the war the company launches a new model, designed before the war «Golden arrow» (Alfa Romeo 6C Golden Arrow), izgotovleniya using aluminum alloys. The huge success of the model made it possible in short periods to restore the destructions caused by war.

In 1950-ies the company's management Board invited the engineer Ocati, before which the task was to combine in a single model quality family and race car. This became Alfa Romeo Ti and its advanced versions Ti Sprint Coupe and Ti Sprint Super Sport.

The new plant in Arese received a start in life to the model of «Julia» (Giulia Sprint GT) with a body of type «cabriolet».

In the 70-ies of the new word in the automotive industry has become a front-wheel-drive model Alfasud («Alfasud»), gathered at the enterprises in Pomigliano, near Naples.

From 1982 «Alfa Romeo» cooperates closely with «Nissan», creating a model of «Arna» (Arna), which combine features of «Datsun cherry» (Datsun Cherry) and «Alfasud».

Since 1986, the company became part of the FIAT group. Sports and functional style Alfa Romeo saved in the model Alfa Spider unusual greedily, streamlined silhouette.

The emergence of the new flagship from Milan's famous brand Alfa Romeo 164 , even with the body of the Pininfarina, created a sensation at the Frankfurt motor show in 1987. For the first time the company has flashed originality. Although rapid and streamlined sedan (CX=0.3) glimpsed some signs of involvement (form door to the big European platform tipo fore", which was jointly developed by Alfa Romeo, FIAT and 8MB, in the General opinion, pripadnicima Alfa Romeo 164 became the most successful in design.

The first show of the models 145 (three-door body) was held in July 1994, 146 (five-door body) - in December 1994. This is the model of middle class cars with a transverse engine and front-wheel drive.

In January 1999 - the complete modernization of the model.

In September 2000 model rolled off the conveyor, giving way to models Alfa Romeo 147.

ALFA ROMEO GTV/Spider, models of sport cars and coupe and spider with a transverse engine and front-wheel drive, a joint development with firm Pininfarina were first shown in 1994 in Paris.

From November 1996 on GTV installed a new engine 3.0 V6 from may 1998 - the new engine 1.8 TS 16v, with variable valve timing, as well as a modified version of the engine 2.0 TS 16v.

In the autumn of 1998 has been a change in the design of cars.

Sedan Alfa Romeo 156 (Juliet) in 1997 was named «car of the year» in Europe. «Alfa Romeo» is famous for its sport achievements.